Natural resources and energy
Russia is gradually developing its Arctic LNG strategy
Due to its geographic location, natural resource extraction in the Arctic circle is strategically important for Russia’s overall energy strategy. At the same time, Russia is gradually shifting away from the traditional state-controlled gas trade through pipelines and is increasing its LNG production.
An unlikely partnership in New Zealand leads the way on biosecurity
Biosecurity New Zealand and Onions New Zealand have begun to work together to ensure that they are prepared for biological threats – a partnership that could serve as an example for other countries.
Climate Change: Heating up Arctic competition
Melting sea ice is revitalizing the Arctic’s geopolitical importance. Russia is proactively developing the area with the help of the Chinese government and has more bases than any other nation. Western states are looking to respond and economic competition has already begun, further militarization is likely to follow suit.
The Energy Briefing: AMLO’s nationalist agenda clouds future for Mexico’s energy sector
Leftist candidate Andrés Manuel López Obrador’s victory casts a shadow over the future of Mexico’s ongoing energy reform. Will the country’s new preident find the right balance between pragmatism and ideology?
The Special Purpose Vehicle and the future of the Iran deal
In yet another sign of the US’ waning global leadership role on the Iran nuclear deal, the EU, Russia and China have set up an alternate payment mechanism called the Special Purpose Vehicle or SPV as a means to bypass any additional US sanctions.
DRC Cobalt: A potential achilles heel of electric vehicles
With the global transition to electric vehicles (EVs), corporations are increasingly forced to rely on cobalt from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where a culture of corruption, unscrupulous mining practices, and political instability threaten supply security.
Mozambique faces a nexus of smuggling and extremism
Fears arise over an Islamic insurgency in Northern Mozambique that threatens the recent discovery of $30 billion of oil and gas reserves. Yet these concerns may be clouding the reality of blurred lines between extremism and organised crime. How has the Jihadi threat emerged?
Guest Post: Blood chocolate – climate change and conflict in the West African cocoa belt
Cocoa is a vital economic sector in West Africa, but climate change threatens to reduce the area suitable for its cultivation, bringing with it a risk for mass migration and civil violence.
What rising resource nationalism in Africa means for mining investors
Lately, resource nationalism in the African mining sector has increased. In some African states, which make key contributions to international mining, larger mining rents indicate greater national control.
The Energy Briefing: Despite Caspian Sea agreement, obstacles to Trans-Caspian pipeline remain
On August 12, Iran, Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan reached an agreement on the legal status of the Caspian Sea. In particular, the treaty removes a legal barrier to building a Trans-Caspian gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Europe. However, several obstacles to the construction of the pipeline remain.
